Calls on PA to probe ‘extrajudicial’ killing of Palestinian prisoner

Palestinian rights groups and citizens have called on the Palestinian Authority (PA) to investigate the death of a Palestinian after his arrest, Quds Press reported yesterday.

PA security services arrested Palestinian citizen Ahmed Halawa from home in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus; he was taken to prison and beaten to death.

Palestinians said Al-Halawa was wanted by the Israeli occupation and his death was part of the PA’s security cooperation with the occupation. The PA accused Al-Halawa of killing two policemen two days before his death.

The Independent Commission for Human Rights described the incident as “dangerous” and expressed its concerns that a Palestinian citizen was killed by security forces who are expected to protect him and enforce the rule of law.

In a statement, the commission said that “the security aggression on the inmate after he was arrested amounts to a crime that could be classified as extrajudicial killing. It is also a violation of Palestinian legislations and an encroachment of the security services’ code of conduct.”

It called for an investigation into the killing and ensuring fair trials for those thought to be involved.

The PA had banned journalists from reporting on the incident and threatened activists and lawyers with arrest if they spoke to the media.

Lawyer Wael Al-Hazzam from Nablus said that while he was going to Al-Quds TV’s office, PA security service staff warned him that if he spoke about the incident he would be arrested.

Later that night he posted pictures of his home after 14 bullets were shot at it. On Facebook he wrote: “Luckily me and my children were not at home when 14 bullets were shot at all sides of my apartment.”

“I am a lawyer and I am unable to confront bullets. My weapon is my pen and my voice and I have no other weapon other than them.” He said he would stop talking about this issue so as not to endanger his family.